


Compromising

by The_Plot_Thinens



Series: Redlooms [2]
Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (1963)
Genre: F/M, Pregnancy, child birth
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-26
Updated: 2020-09-26
Packaged: 2021-03-07 21:54:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,059
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26654749
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Plot_Thinens/pseuds/The_Plot_Thinens
Summary: Leela and Andred are having a baby and there is family drama with not just clashing cultures.
Relationships: Andred/Leela (Doctor Who)
Series: Redlooms [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1939381
Comments: 6
Kudos: 5





	Compromising

**Author's Note:**

> Kinda wrote this to amuse one person...you know who you are.

**Compromising**

By The-Plot-Thinens

“Really Lord Castellan, this is quite irregular!” Complained the resident doctor in the citadel hospital wing as he ducked under the flap that led into a large tent. A large tent that was set up around the medical equipment needed for the procedure. When he was given the opportunity to oversee such a rarity among Time Lord houses as natural birth, he had been quite excited for the challenge, but had not expected the other challenges. The expectant mother’s cultural add-ins... 

His delivery room that he had meticulously set up for the occasion had been transformed into a primitive looking farce. The majority of the room was occupied by a tent that appeared to be stitched together with cloth and tanned animal skins. A tent that almost touched the ceiling and that he was now standing inside of just to get to the mother-to-be and the instruments he needed to assist with the birth. 

The Time Lord physician needed a moment to collect himself. He turned to the left and walked forward only to get smacked in the face with some kind of odd looking mobile-like thing covered in animal claws and hanging down from the roof of the tent. “Very irregular” grumbled the medical expert as he rubbed his nose.

“A condition of this manner is irregular among Time Lords to begin with, so what does it matter if you think it irregular? Everything that is normally needed is here, you merely complain about esthetics.” Growled back Andred a little annoyed with having to have this same conversation with every medical personnel that came into the room. First the nurses and now this doctor. 

The Time Lord medical doctor looked the Castellan up and down and couldn’t believe he had forgone his usual amazing trappings to wear a suit made of furs, natural fibers and a gawdy headband. Had he lost all his senses?

“Granted I have all that I need to work and the lighting is proper, but what is the meaning of all this?” asked the physician.

“Leela comes from a tribe of people who cloister themselves away in a tent to give birth. This must be done at the edge of their village in the wilderness to avoid exposure to germs. I would rather she gave birth in a hospital than the wilderness so this is the compromise.” Explained Andred only to immediately run to Leela’s side when she let out a slight cry of pain from a contraction. She was in no danger, was probably hours away from giving birth, and was bearing it like a warrior, but he hated to see her in any discomfort. Especially since she was going through this for a reason so precious to him. Andred was to be a father of a child that was more closely related to him than any other member of his family, even his own ‘parents’. Leela even said that their child would resemble the two of them! Seeing a true combination of the two of them was something he was looking forward to. He hoped that they looked more like his lovely wife than him. Seeing a little Leela walking around was a thought that just tickled him with delight. 

“What are these things for anyway?” Asked the flustered physician while pointing to the mobile he just smacked into.

“I have made these from the claws of the beasts I have felled. Ever since I learned that I was with child, I have been collecting them. My people make them into totems that are hung from the birthing tent to frighten off anything animal or spirit from disturbing the birth and 2 week cloistering afterwards.” Explained Leela with pride through some pain. The Time Lord blanched at this,

“You’re staying in here for two weeks?!” Leela rolled her eyes and stated,

“No we are...com...compromising. We have an identical tent set up at home for sleeping. Since our home is fortified and ...st..sterile, Andred has assured me that it’s not necessary to stay inside for all that time, but I would be near it. It was annoying to have to gather more claws for two tents but compromising is annoying sometimes I’m told.”

“Sorry, my love. I know Time Lord society can be strange to you.” Stated Andred as he wetted Leela’s sweaty brow with the calming and sweet-smelling cool water she had prepared a week ago for this occasion. Andred knew that Leela found his people overly complicated with many extra steps and he just wanted to take any additional stress on for her.

“Your child is taking their time...” grumbled Leela as she turned on her side. She would have rather done this sitting up or standing to allow gravity to help her but they insisted she lay on the bed. She helped once before in the birthing of a child and usually a rope would hang from the tent for the expectant mother to bear down on, but she would have to settle for Andred’s hand instead. She pitied his poor hand when things really got started, because childbirth looked like it could be more straining than it already was right now. Even his added Time Lord strength and vigor would be tested by this she felt. Though she personally wondered if the tent that Andred had set up would hold if there was a rope tied to it. She remembered once a woman pulled so hard on the rope that the roof had collapsed and the father was ridiculed for his shotty work for a week afterwards. 

Another contraction came, the biggest so far, she was getting close. She looked around at the medical doctor, and two nurses all dressed in clothing very alien to the tent’s ecstatic, only Andred was dressed appropriately as the father to be. His headband was a sign that he would give his life in exchange for the infants if spirits came for it. And he knew it’s meaning and he meant it when he put it on, even if he didn’t believe in the spirituality behind it. Her mate was rare and apparently so was their child who would hopefully be here soon. Then in two days’ time they would go to their home in the Citadel for the remainder of the two weeks observation and then on to Redlooms as she had promised to show the baby to Andred’s little cousins. A child born naturally and not by loom was a novelty to them and they had asked many questions that Leela tried her best to answer, though she did not feel the most knowledgeable on the subject. The children had even helped with making the totems hanging in the tents, which was a relief that she didn’t have to make them all herself. It was a wonderful feeling of tribe-like bonding with Andred’s relatives. Explaining the totems’ meanings and why they were made had been delightful to the children. Leela hoped that the baby could experience the same bonding with his relatives too. As for the older cousins of Andred they, for the most part, tolerated this behavior from the loomlings as it did manage to keep the more rowdy loomlings busy and required a surprising amount of motor skills to make the intricate Sevateem designs. It was difficult work for sevateem tribesmen, but to the ‘genetically superior’ gallifreyan children it was basically arts and crafts.

Andred had participated too when he could for the preparations to this day and had been instrumental in gathering the wood and building the frames for the two tents to Leela’s specification. An activity that he’d noticed some of his older relatives rolling their eyes at whenever he would return to Redlooms with wood from the forest and K-9 with some smaller branches tied to a sled behind him. Other relatives, especially the children, were happy to watch his try at carpentry from afar, as some swearing happened every now and then. Andred was often stressed with trying to compromise between making something that Leela would recognize and approve of versus keeping in mind the space restriction that he had to work with from eventually reconstructing these tent frames within indoors. He didn’t want to put stress on her about it as he was certain that she would offer to help even though she was at the time getting rather heavy with child. There might have been a little ego involved too. The father of the child usually was the one to construct the tent and he wanted to live up to the expectations of a Sevateem father-to-be in Leela’s eyes. So here they were in his tent covered in the skins and cloth that Leela had gathered. Atop the worries of soon having a child to care for, he hoped that his tent frame wouldn’t somehow collapse on them. He was ever so happy that it was also tradition to burn the wood from the tent to keep the family warm after the isolation period was over too. He’d happily throw all evidence of his lousy carpentry skills into any blaze. He’d even picked out a spot at Redlooms for a bonfire.

A few more hours and a lot more contractions saw Andred indeed wincing as Leela did her best to break the fingers in his hand as she bared down.

“Only a strong future warrior could put up such a fight!” grumbled Leela to herself with gritted teeth. Andred continued with his free hand to wipe Leela’s head with water until she signaled to be left alone, though she still held his hand. One more great push and their child finally presented themselves to the world in all his wet and bloody glory. The umbilical cord was taken care of and the newborn was handed off to the nurses. Leela had been told ahead of time that the baby would be taken away for just a few moments to be cleaned and medically examined, but she still found herself fighting off the urge to snatch her child, that she had worked so hard to make and birth, back from the nurses. If she might have growled a bit at the nurse, he did his best to ignore it and gave the baby their first bath. The nurse thought the baby was quite cute once it was washed clean and wrapped in a clean wrap. The nurse, having had spent their whole life in the citadel, had never seen an infant before and marveled at how tiny babies were. He then handed the baby over to his fellow nurse for physical examination.

A few moments, and a placenta later, Leela had a Human/ Time Lord hybrid nursing happily in her arms and a very proud father showering attention on the mother and baby. 

“Perfect. They are just perfect... Though I cannot tell which of us they look like the most yet…” Mused Leela as she sleepily cuddled her suckling babe.   
  
“Well, they only just got here, give them some time. But regardless I think our child shall be as handsome as I.” Andred grinned as he rubbed the tiny baby’s head.  
  
“When did you become so confident in your looks, Andred.” She smirked at her husband.

“It is all your fault, my love. If you tell a Time Lord that he is handsome as often as you do, then he is bound to eventually believe it. 

“I am set on the name, you realize. I wish to call them Sholan. It means grandchild of Sole. A tribute to my father.” Leela stated by decree.  
  
“My love, you may call our child whatever you like, you grew them. I barely helped at all in that.”

“That is hardly true, but if you truly feel that you have not done enough then you will be making up for it starting now. I wish to sleep and it would appear so does Sholan, now that they are fed. I would rest better knowing that you guard us while we sleep.” Andred saw no problem in this and sat himself down in a chair next to the hospital bed and made a show of being ever vigilant. Leela smiled and went to sleep.

  
Andred dutifully watched over his family with a smile and wonder. He could not believe he was so lucky in love and in family life. More trouble might come from society as a whole over this oddity of Leela and his child but for now he would enjoy the moment. On a lighter note, President Romana had been the one to procure the best medical staff possible to see through this event and had even granted a sabbatical from Andred’s Castellan duties to spend more time with his family. Her familiarity with humans from traveling with The Doctor even inspired the President to gather some modern Earth conveniences to help Leela with the care of her child. Romana was a very different sort of Time Lady, thanks to her travels on the TARDIS and for that he was grateful. Andred was sure that any other President would not have cared if Leela wanted her husband with her during this time. Nor think that he, as the father-to-be, would want to be with his family too. As frustrating as Madam President could be for him. As unbelievable as the amount of security logistics and secret missions she required escort for or how sometimes she would just skip it all together giving him a headache, he’d rather have no other guiding Gallifrey.  
  


  
  


About two hours into his vigil he spotted something or rather someone he was not expecting. Coming rather awkwardly through the flap of the tent where he sat with his family was his much older cousin. This Time Lord was not the oldest in the family of Redlooms but quite high ranking among the family. Andred was surprised by the visit of his cousin to the hospital, but pleased. Perhaps this was a sign that the majority of Redlooms was finally accepting Leela into the family and by extension their new addition to Redlooms house.

“Cousin, I wasn’t expecting anyone to visit. I’m sorry but Leela and the baby are sleeping right now. But you can come back later when she is awake.” Smiled Andred quietly and put his finger in front of his mouth to indicate that he wanted his cousin to speak quietly. Andred noticed that his cousin took serious note of what he was wearing, but said nothing.

“I’ve not come with the desire to disturb your... mate and offspring. I’ve come to discuss the future of Redlooms house.” Andred was now a bit worried and inquired,  
  
“Future? Can you be specific?” His cousin took a lecturing tone quietly and began,

“I’ve come to remind you of some concerns from your chapter house that you have chosen to rather skillfully avoid up until now. An annoyance since we weren’t even sure if this...hybridization was going to remain viable, but clearly it has.” Andred was not liking this direction that this was going hence why he had avoided talking to his more conservative relations as much as possible,

“Yes, the baby is healthy and happy, thank you for your scenic route of concerns.” He said in a condescending low voice. The sarcasm in Andred’s voice did not go unnoticed by his cousin and now very annoyed, he continued,

  
“This child is a complete mystery, Andred. Without looming you have no idea what traits it will inherit and whether they are the superior Time Lord traits or the human one. Especially since you have chosen to deny us the ability to do testing while the human was pregnant…” 

“Leela, my wife.” Interrupted Andred with growing anger although still quietly.

“You didn’t even tell us that ‘Leeee Laaa’ was expecting until three months into it.” Growled the Redlooms cousin. 

Andred rubbed his temples with his fingers, and whispered,

“Incredible. That is a lot to unpack... First off, my child’s name is Sholan, just so you know. And in case you are worried, yes, they will have a formal name attached to it. And as for early stages of the pregnancy, it is Sevateem tradition to wait for an allotted amount of time before revealing the pregnancy to the general public. It is to avoid inviting bad spirits to make difficulties during the early stages of pregnancy. 

“Spirits…” The Redlooms Time Lord scoffed at Andred.  
  
“As real to her as cloister wraiths are to us.” He countered with a sneer, and quiet as to not wake his family continued,

“As for the randomness of my child’s genetic coding I have not avoided this subject, we have talked about this. You just didn't like the answer. Leela is from a culture that doesn’t genetically design their children, it's left to chance. It’s a surprise, an adventure, it’s a good thing! Besides having a child this way is preferable if only to avoid the headache that is Loom use petitioning.” Andred didn’t voice the part that it was also more fun to make children this way. Or the joy that going around the stuffy Time Lords, who handled the petitions, had brought him when he had announced his wife’s pregnancy. Leela was pregnant and that brought an end to that debate over whether he could, or rather was allowed, to have a child with Leela. Clearly, they could and quite well without using looms. It was like the idea had never even occurred to them. The looks on the petitioning council’s faces was delightful and he had posted the incensed letters he had received from them on his office wall. ‘Best baby announcement ever’, Andred thought, but his cousin was speaking again and he had to again pay attention.

“That being said, even now it is not too late. Think of the potential your child could present to our house with some help. If you let us take the child, we can give them the best start in life by ensuring that their genetic code is rewritten to make sure that only the superior genetic traits show through. It would be a quick procedure, a few of the elder Redlooms and I already have everything ready. Your mate need not even know if you care that it would bother her. We can keep their exterior looks the same.” Insisted his cousin in what was supposed to be a reassuring and kind voice, but only horrified Andred. 

Andred thought that they had basically won this cousin over months ago. After watching Leela defend the family home and its youngest members, the Redlooms cousin saw the value in having Leela as a member of the House Redlooms through marriage. However, being related to Redlooms through the genetics of a child it seemed was another issue. The only thing that kept Andred from roaring his anger at his relative was the proximity to his sleeping wife and child. He would not change one thing about his child, just like he would not change anything about his beloved wife. A terrifying thought crossed Andred’s mind...From now on would he have to watch over his child like a hawk around his own relatives? So much of this was already done behind his and Leela’s back. What else would they try to do to Sholan without him knowing? Would they make an attempt to change his child’s genetic code when the baby was unguarded? The worry and paranoia hit him hard and he grew angry. So angry he felt that he could easily take down, with his bare hands, the most fearsome beast that his wife had ever faced in the past. No one threatened his family. Andred stood up and glared at his cousin, dressed as he was in his tribal garb, he seemed even more imposing than normal. He might have even startled his cousin a bit. Without ceremony Andred then led his cousin from the tent not as roughly as was deserved but civilly. 

“Let us be very clear about something, my ‘dear cousin,’ I don’t want any of this superior genetics talk around Leela or my child, ever again. If you want to be involved in this child’s life you will treat them with respect and you will extend that respect to their mother, who, like it or not, is genetically now part of this house!” Declared Andred, who then paused briefly to let that last part sink into his cousin’s narrow mind. He then continued,

“I cannot stress this enough that we are never changing my child’s genetic makeup and any attempt to do so behind my back will be treated as an assault. An assault that I will press charges against and have no problem dragging house Redlooms reputation through the mud over! I’ll see to it that our house will be synonymous with the tabloids.” Andred took a deep breath and calmed himself while checking to make sure his volume was low enough to not disturb his sleeping family. 

“The only and I mean only exception that will ever exist being that my child wishes to do so, should they gain the right to 13 regenerations upon completing their studies at the Academy. Something that Leela and I have already agreed to. That possibility will be many years from now. So you better start seeing the superiority in having a half Sevateem human child as part of your house. Because you will be defending them, and any other children that we have, from the people of other houses who think just like you do!” Stated Andred. That was the last he would have on the subject. Understanding the reality of the situation, the cousin could not argue that plans to defend his newborn cousin from such positions as he had just expressed toward the baby was logical. Bidding an obligatory farewell, the cousin left to devise plans to defend Redlooms from criticism and by extension, Sholan.   
  
“Andred, what was that about?” Asked Leela groggily, as she checked over her baby still fast asleep in her arms.   
  
“Just one of my many cousins paying us a ‘visit’. They have too much to do now to have stayed long, so don’t worry. We can talk about it later. Here let me hold Sholan a while so you can get some more rest. I imagine that our baby might not need as much rest as you do, but I’ll wake you if Sholan gets hungry.” Assured Andred as Leela handed him the baby. She would love to sleep on her side and she knew the baby would be fine with their father. Leela rolled over to get more sleep and Andred held the baby close to his chest. His perfect, beautiful child that he would protect with his life. The serious and profound mood only being broken by his child letting off a little fart. Andred couldn’t help but shoot out a giggle.  
  
‘Better enjoy this peaceful moment now before you need your first changing.’ Grinned Andred to the baby as he sat back down in his chair and rocked his infant back to sleep. 

* * *

\-----------------------

  
“Mistress! Your presence has been notably missed.” Announced the little metal dog as Leela and Andred came through the front door of their home in the citadel.

“Thank you, K-9. I have missed you too.” Smiled Leela at her machine mutt.

“Additional life form detected besides Mistress and Master.” Declared K-9.

“Yes, I finally had my baby. The baby is called Sholan.” Explained Leela as she crouched down to show the robot dog her newborn. K-9 scanned his electronic eyes onto the cooing little tiny being wrapped in a fur blanket. Scans proving that the baby was in excellent health, K-9 wagged his little wire tail and said,

“Greetings, young Mastress. It is very nice to finally meet you. How are you?” K-9 was rarely quiet and that was when Andred realized that the tin dog was waiting for a reply from the baby. Laughing a bit he explained to the metal dog,

“Well, newborns don't talk just yet, K-9. The baby was almost born yesterday, so Sholan needs time to learn to talk.”

“I can provide the young Mastress with the necessary learning software to gain speech.” Suggested the tin dog helpfully.

“Um, It doesn’t work quite like it does with machine minds, K-9.” Declared Andred. Somehow sensing that K-9 seemed a bit disappointed that his idea would not work, he did like to be helpful, Andred suggested, 

“But if you want to help Sholan learn to talk over time through demonstration, we would love your help.” K-9, now waging his metal tail fast enough that Leela thought that it might fall off, brought his metal mind’s attention back to little Sholan and began to talk,

“Affirmative. Young Mastress, let us begin with the letter ‘A’. ‘A’ is defined...”

“Not right now, K-9. later.” Chided Leela, who stroked the metal dog’s head. Leela then made her way to the tent in the middle of their living room to lay the baby down in the crib next to bed that also sat inside the tent. K-9 followed loyally behind his mistress without aid as Leela’s design of the home tent’s flap entrance went all the way down to the floor. She wanted all of her family involved in this event and that meant that their metal dog should be able to join them inside too. K-9 set himself on mute as to not disturb his new youngest family member and stopped by the cradle to faithfully monitor the baby’s vitals. 

Andred let out a sigh of relief that the transfer had been completed without too much stress on Leela. Though there had been plenty on him. Leela had been so apprehensive to leave the tent in her hospital bedroom. As if she expected something would swoop down on them the second they stepped out from the tent earlier than what was custom. 

Leela held her baby close to her chest with one hand and held out a knife with the other! How had she even snuck it into the hospital in the first place? This had Andred perplexed but he dared not ask now. Though he might ask later as Leela was very good at spotting holes in security at the Citadel. She’d even managed to sneak up on him at work several times for the purpose of being romantic. The woman was a genius when it involved small weapons concealment. He’d say that Leela was almost never without a knife. The almost being attributed to him being privileged enough to see her with nothing on at all. Though a knife was usually still nearby. He admired that she was so fiercely determined to protect their child, but at the same time the knife had been a bit of trouble to constantly explain away as they made their journey home through the Citadel during a busy hour. He wondered if it would end up in the news feed since so many people had seen not just a woman with a weapon in the citadel, but a woman with a weapon while holding a newborn baby in the Citadel. Anyway he probably shouldn’t worry since he was to be cloistered away with his wife and child for the next twelve days. Something he was looking forward to. What he wasn’t looking with as much joy on was the reception they would receive Redlooms. If his cousin was anything to go by then Leela might run for the hills again and take the baby with her. Still, if the welcome would be a warm or cold one was days away and he had a family to take care of. 

He heard the lovely voice of his mate calling him into the tent to join her on the bed. He had gotten used to analyzing the heady cocktail of human hormones that his wife excreted and he could tell that she felt like being a bit romantic. Time Lord technology in just a few hours had healed the toll of what months of pregnancy and giving birth had done to her body, but it wasn’t that kind of romantic she was looking for. Much to his joy she wanted cuddles! After a lifetime of being mostly deprived of physical contact his favorite kind of romantics to engage in with Leela was cuddles. Not that the actions that led to Leela’s pregnancy were not very very enjoyable, and drove him wild with desire regularly, but he felt that their love transcended the mere physical. Leela was home, comfort, protection, and the essence of love. He couldn’t think of anything better than cuddling up with Leela while watching their baby sleep safely nearby. But if she did want something else later, he would dutifully oblige. 

Now a Time Lord on a mission, to satisfy his mates every need, Andred took off his boots and strode across the room to join his wife on the bed. Unfortunately he was so hyper focused on his wife's awaiting arms that he accidentally collided his foot with K-9. The pain was immediate and it took every ounce of control not to cry out in pain and wake the baby. Though he did hop around quietly on one foot. Andred in a hushed voice apologized to the metal dog, who despite the jostle, dutifully continued to monitor the baby. Leela could not help but giggle at Andred’s little dance and beckoned him into the bed. Sheepishly he joined his wife for some spooning. Often enough Leela insisted on being ‘Big spoon,’ but let him be ‘Big spoon’ this time as it was easier this way for her to get to the crib to feed Sholan if they became hungry. Surprisingly more exhausted than Leela at the moment, Andred hugged his wife pulling her as close to his body as comfortable before taking a nap. The rest of the world and its problems could stay outside for now, he had all he needed right here.

  
  


* * *

\------------------

The day had come and here they were just outside of Redlooms house. This was the day that Sholan would receive a formal family name. They had already picked out a formal name, Sholandredloomaseleelaus, but they had to announce it to the family as tradition. What awaited inside was anyone’s guess. They had touched down in a short range travel capsule with their baby and a pile of timbers that Andred hoped that they would be burning on a bonfire surrounded by supportive relatives. But if not he had the capsule on standby for a hasty retreat.

Andred had warned her that some of his relatives might not be trusted around the baby. Hyped up on maternal hormones and feeling as fierce as a mother striped pig-bear, Leela had to be heavily convinced over days not to hunt Andred’s cousin for sport for daring to try to execute such a plan. Only the remaining of the two weeks of cloistering had given Andred enough time to convince her otherwise. He almost wished that he had not said anything as it had put anxiety for a few days on what was supposed to be a time of parental bonding and protected coupling with his mate. But they were partners and parents now. You could not hide battle strategies from someone so close. Not if they wanted to succeed in their mission to lovingly raise and protect Sholan. 

In the end they had managed to have a more wonderful time than not, but the intelligence that Andred had given Leela she took very seriously. Secretly she devised plans on how best to defend her baby against their own relatives, thoughts that disappointed her. 

“Mistress, multiple accelerated hearts beats detected inside residence.” Announced K-9.

“That’s a safe bet.” Declared Andred.

“Betting is not involved, Master. I have merely detected the biological…”

“K-9, please, hush. The situation is as heavy as before battle.” Leela did not care so much about whether Andred’s family as a whole would ever accept her as a full member, but she did want that for her child. With all her Sevateem family now dead, she knew well the loneliness from missing them and being the last. Family was important to her. She treasured her new family so much and she wanted a large and loving family for her child to enjoy after she was gone. There was no way she’d ever live as long as Time Lords did, and it would be comforting to know that Sholan would have a family group to fall back on if needed. She wanted her child safe and the protection of a chapter house could provide that. But that was all leaning on this moment. She hoped that they would love them or at least as Time Lords as a whole loved. Leela had seen signs of what could be love among the young loomling towards her and if that extended to her child then she would have nothing to worry about for Sholan in the future. It was dealing with the old guard now that had her concerned. She didn’t want Sholan treated like she had been by them in the past. And as much as she wished she could, she understood that she could not threaten them with a knife to gain Sholan respect, love, or acceptance. So here they went toward the doors of the great house not knowing if she would get a warm reception or have to fight her way out with her family.. Sensing rare apprehension in his wife, Andred held Leela’s free hand as he pushed open the door and stepped into the dark corridor. 

Suddenly the lights came on and Leela, driven by her protective instincts, reached for her knife in order to protect her family. Fortunately before she could pull her knife out, she realized that she was not surrounded by attackers but by loomlings. The loomlings let out a great cheer for Leela, Andred, and their baby. No wonder K-9 had detected so many accelerated hearts beats, the children were excited. The great hall was covered in drawings and crafts reminiscent of Leela’s culture along with an obviously children-made banner. Leela could not yet read any Gallifreyan writing on a good day and the banner written adorably in children’s handwriting was a little hard to read, even if Leela could read it, so Andred helped translate,

“Leela, it says, ‘Welcome our new cousin!’ They’ve thrown Sholan a surprise party.” And with that Leela thought she might cry. She didn’t of course, but the feeling of relief was so wonderful. Sholan had the children closer to their age to love and care for them as they grew. Sholan would have the extended family she had hoped for them among the loomlings. That being said the children now eagerly crowded around her and Andred to look at their new cousin. Those toward the back of line contented themselves with playing with K-9 who already had one loomling on his back for a ride. Maybe Sholan too would enjoy such rides one day. The children even placed bets on who Sholan would look the most like when they learned of the nature of resemblance to parents from natural birth. Quite the novelty to them. Much to their annoyance they were in gridlock as to which parent the baby bore the closest resemblance to and debated back and forth over facial features.

“No, I say the baby has Leela’s nose.” Declared one Loomling annoyed.

“Shows what you know, the nose is still too small to tell right now. But I think they pay closer resemblance to Andred’s face. Said another Loomling.

“You just said it was too soon to tell!” Growled back the first Loomling in an accusing voice.

“There is no sense in fighting, children. We will all know the answer with time.” Assured Andred to the two debating Time Tots.

The loomlings were not the only ones in attendance. Apparently most of the cousins closer to Andred’s age had had some hand in helping the loomlings organize this surprise party. There were even little cakes to eat that were brightly decorated. Again this was obviously done by the loomlings. Leela too noted of a few of the older cousins in the peripheral who seemed to be managing the youngsters if they got too excited and Andred appreciated their support. He was starting to relax more. 

Andred looked above to the second level of the hall. There he saw a few of his much older relatives watching the festivities with apparent curiosity. Whether that was with malice or joy, Andred could not determine right now, but some did have the little cakes up there with them too. That was a good sign, at least they were participating in a way. Still for all his claims to himself to not worry he couldn’t help but wonder if the elders not partaking in food were the ones that had plotted against him earlier. Or if they were just too old for sweets now. 

As the party calmed down the more serious parts took place. His child’s proper Gallifreyan name was presented and the loomlings had their turn at who could say it fastest. Two of the loomlings even wrote it down and presented the papers of swirly lines and circles to Leela. She again could not read them, but their designs looked so beautiful she had no doubt that they had chosen a good proper name for Sholan. 

“Thank you, I will hang them on our walls.” Assured Leela to the loomlings who looked a bit bashful at the compliment.

Leela had spent most of the party trying to give the young Loomlings her attention, while guarding and attending to Sholan’s needs. A task that was wearing her down with all the extra questions and bouncing little people around her. She had no fears from the young members of the house, and was starting to think most of her suspicions to be exaggerated as the majority of her family, yes, her family now too seemed supportive. She did realize how tired she was and thought it best to rest for a short while, but did not wish to leave Sholan unattended. Walking over to her husband she asked Andred to watch over Sholan while she found a quiet place to rest. Andred of course agreed and took their baby, but declined Leela’s offer of a knife just in case.

Andred, with Sholan securely strapped to his back in the method Leela had shown him, began to drag the wood from the tents outside to burn. K9 did his best to help too but was rather swamped by loomlings playing with his buttons on his control panel. So much so that he had to deactivate them to avoid trouble. As Andred was setting up the pit for burning, some of his cousins, that he had grown up with, gathered with him to help to drag some of the heavier beams and put them in place.

“I have known you for a long time, cousin Andred and I can tell when you are stressed. And it is not just because of your new fatherhood. What troubles you?” One cousin inquired.

“We are like siblings, Andred. I know that we disappointed you with our initial reception of Leela, I wish to make amends and offer you my support. I still want to be your confidant.” Said another Cousin. Around so many faces that he shared a past history of comfort, Andred could not help but tell them what had happened in the hospital on the day of Sholan birth that had him looking over his shoulders. He talked and they listened. 

Leela, after being tackled by loomlings twice and decked out in cute imitations of Sevateem jewelry, finally managed to duck away to the second level of the great hall. She knew of many comfortable furnishings that she could nap on easily. Time Lords did many things weird but at least away from the Citadel they understood how to make a comfortable sofa. Leela was always light on her feet so when she plopped herself down on the first available sofa in a dark corner, she had gone unheard and unnoticed. At least this way she could avoid her fan club of Time tots for a half hour nap. She had closed her eyes for maybe ten minutes when she heard whispers around the corner from where she sat.

“One genetic abnormality in the family is hardly worth the risk of scandalizing Redlooms in the manner that Andred threatened you. Let’s just do as he says and focus on defending the child-oddity from the other houses' remarks.” Advised a nervous and older sounding voice from the corner. 

“Just get over it. The plan failed, it was your fault to begin with for even thinking that Andred should have been consulted to begin with. Otherwise it could have been years before he even noticed.” Hissed another voice.

Leela was very absorbed in this conversation now and with the stealth of a lioness moved closer for a better listen.

“I did not think that he had lost all his senses to that savage. A young Lord can have his strange pleasures and still keep them separate from common sense. He might not care that his wife is a lesser species, but I thought surely he’d want what is genetically best for his child! We can still succeed, we just have to keep the child out of the public eye, bide our time for a few years... Time tots have been known to play with genetic scripting machines before, accidents can happen when children play.” Retorted the voice of the cousin that Andred had identified to her earlier as the one who had visited them in the hospital while she slept. 

With a snake like this slithering around she was thankful that she had had Andred around to guard her and the baby after the birth. She let off a slight shiver. Who knows what might have happened if he had not been there? As much as Leela would hate to admit it, birthing her child had left her so exhausted she probably would have slept right through her own child’s abduction. She had been content to let things go since Andred, her lion, had made his point quite clear to said cousin earlier with his threats of laws. The mention of laws she found often scared Time Lords into line very quickly and without need of bodily threat. But after hearing such slights she knew one person in this family where she might get away with using knives on. 

Crouching on all fours Leela moved through the shadows behind her cousin-in-law. Naturally she was not spotted by the sense-dulled aged Time Lords and she waited until the two, still speciesist, but not as threatening Time Lords, were a few more feet away from her target. She had thought about waiting until said target was alone, but those two had been involved in this plot and Leela of the Sevateem wanted to make a point to those who even think about messing with her family. Springing up from behind him Leela held the elder cousin in place with her knife close to his neck. 

“You threatened my child.” Growled Leela into the near code brown rendered Time Lord’s ear. The other two cousins let out a loud cry of shock. Afraid for their cousin they froze in place. Their earlier cries would surely be heard downstairs, but she did not care. The more to view their treachery the better. 

“I hardly threatened...” He countered not taking his eyes off the knife to his neck. Leela tightened the push of the knife against the cousin's neck. Not enough to make him bleed but enough to cause discomfort.

“I want you to know that I have killed men for less. The laws of this confusing land keep me from bringing you harm now. But if anything should happen to my child at you or any other Redlooms hands, I have two knives that would love to make your hearts into sheaths. If you wish to harm my child then I am always a threat to you. But if you leave him be then I am no threat at all. It is my wish to see my husband’s house thrive, but not at the expense of my child’s identity or safety. Are we understood?” Leela interrogated as she turned the knife a little on his skin.

“Yes, yes... Leela. I understand.” Puffed out the cousin, making sure to call her by her name lest he anger her by using the term savage, which he knew from past experience that she did not like. 

It was at that moment that Andred, carrying Sholan, and marching with his bonfire cousins came upon Leela and their rude older cousin.

Andred’s sibling-like cousins were horrified that because of their elder’s actions that Andred and Leela had come to Redlooms with apprehension and expecting a possible trap when the lights were out. When you help the loomlings throw a surprise party you certainly don’t want the guests of honor entering as if it were an ambush. They felt no insult at all of Andred’s suspicions after their past treatment of Leela. Leela, despite taking their verbal abuse, had been their savior months ago when they were attacked by the pig-bear. She had risked her life without hesitation despite their prejudices. And now their family was harming her yet again. They felt terrible for the pressure they put on the new mother and were looking to try to offer formal apologies before starting the blaze when they heard screams not related to festivities echoing from the house.

They raced back into the house and were pointed up to the second level by other cousins. The cries caused a lot of attention and more cousins were joining their procession as they went. As they approached into view, suddenly Leela’s prey started acting a lot less respectful, believing that he was safe now that the savage’s mate had arrived. He might be able to get rid of this blemish from his house yet. Surely any affection he felt for her could not stand the embarrassment of her attacking a senior member of the family in plain sight. Propriety demanded that such a violent disgrace be ejected from the house. The Elderly Time Lord had seen his fair share of wild young Time Lords be made to see sense when scandal was involved and what was more scandalous than your wife trying to kill a senior member of your own house? With Leela being such a humiliation to Andred, and removed from her wild influence, he might be more easily convinced to rewrite the child’s genetic code. What Time Lord worth his regenerations would not wish to remove all traces of a disgrace if they could? Yet another blemish removed and dare he think worth having a knife to his throat if it meant preserving the charter house’s honor and purity. 

“She attacked me, Cousins! Get this savage off of me! Summon the authorities! I want to press charges!” He demanded, but Leela did not let up and was not frightened by his whines.

“Leela what’s going on?” Questioned Andred wanting to know the situation, though guessing what it was already. His elder cousins tried to give their explanations but Andred would only hear Leela first. Leela hated lies and was the most trustworthy person to ask in this situation even with her placing a knife to his cousin’s throat.

“This snake of Redlooms continues his plotting against our child and these two were his original accomplices. They speak more garbage about genetic purity though they have not the stomach to try to see their plan through as this snake might.” Explained Leela. Andred looked at his child and not wanting to disturb them took a deep breath and more calmly than the situation called for he said,

“Alright Leela, you can let him go.” Then directing his attention to his old cousin he stated,

“We are not calling the authorities on Leela, we would sooner call them on you, Cousin. Now we are going to have a discussion as a family about this.” 

Andred, now holding out his hand to Leela not unlike how she had declared her affections for him to The Doctor ages ago beckoned his wife over to join him at his side. The difference in the picture being that obviously he held their baby in his free arm.

“Judging by how utterly helpless your prey is, I’d say that was very good technique on your stealth grab.” Grinned Andred to his wife. Leela smiled at Andred and let the old Time Lord go and he quickly moved to join his other elderly cousins. Leela took Andred’s offered hand and stood next to her husband still glaring at the old Time Lord. The Elderly Time Lord was now incensed that not only was Andred believing a savage over him, but that his younger cousins seemed to be siding with Leela too. 

“I cannot believe what I am seeing. She attacked me!” Growled the incensed Time Lord.

“Only because you threatened her baby.” Piped up one of Andred’s female cousins.

“I have not made any threats! I have committed no crime! They should have loomed that child! I’m trying to save them from their own folly and preserve the purity and dignity of this house! That child is wrong!” Roared the Elder. His erratic emotional outburst causing his other two elderly cousins to distance themselves from him until he stood alone.

“From what I have seen so far there is nothing wrong with Sholandredloomaseleelaus. They are healthy, happy, and with Leela as their mother, they will grow up safe and probably more prepared for life in the chancellery guard than most if they choose to do so after the Academy. It is our society’s failure to see the value in Leela and her genetics that led her and Andred to be forced to find other means of having a child. Not by any failing on their part.” Growled the younger cousin. Andred had to let off a quiet smirk at that. He wasn’t going to say anything in front of his cousin about Leela and his method of having children being anything but force. In fact, it was now preferable and even now if they were given permission to use the looms they would still be absconding from using them. Leela most certainly agreed if their activities during their cloistering was anything to go by. 

“Cousin, I find it rather sad that I have to repeat myself since Time Lords are usually so quick to understand, but you are getting up there in age so I will forgive you this last time. You are never changing the genetic code of our child EVER. And no matter how upsetting you find it, this child will continue to be related to their mother.” Explained Andred slowly.

“Yes, we should focus on displaying Sholandredloomaseleelaus fine points and what a blessing it is to have them as a house member.” Piped up one of the elder cousin plotters, reading the direction of the wind of this conversation.

“Sholandredloomaseleelaus has many fine points that we can easily defend if anyone dares take issue.” Declared the other conspirator. Seeing that he was beaten, the elder cousin lowered his head in defeat. 

“I think I would like to retire to one of our smaller residences…” He said defeated in a voice that was hoping that they would take his suggestion and not report him to the authorities.

“I think that would be best for you.” Agreed Leela. She would have loved to have seen him taken away by the authorities, but Leela understood that image was very important to Time Lords and chapter houses. If this cousin was off someplace alone and no longer a threat than his lonely exile was punishment enough.

“Perhaps you could help him pack. Unless you would like to join him too? “ Suggested Andred to the two other conspirators. They readily agreed to help and Leela thought that they went off down the hall in a manner resembling animals running away with their tails between its legs.

“I’m sorry that you had to go through any of this family dramatics.” Apologized one of the Andred’s age cousins to Leela.

“I hope this won’t sour the whole evening for you. We still have the bonfire in the yard.” Said another cousin. Leela let out a sigh of relief and took Sholan from Andred’s arms seeing that they were getting fussy.

“Let me feed Sholan before we start. A mother’s job is never done.” She smiled.

Everyone stood around the pile of timbers piled up high in the pit that Andred, his cousins, and K9 had helped build. With a blast of K9's nose cannon the timbers were alit. Leela proudly explained to all of Andred’s cousins, young and old, how this wood would normally be used to warm a Sevateem hearth. But since wood burning fires were not necessary on Gallifrey for warmth in the home, they were compromising and having a bonfire instead. 

Leela encouraged dancing and more consuming of food while they warmed themselves by the fire as the suns set. Although the Time Tots were more excited about the dancing to some music that K-9 played for them than the adult Time Lords were. The adult cousins were more than content to sit around talking about current events and betting whether their cousins’ bonfire was going to stay standing or fall over. Andred helped put the Loomlings to bed as it was getting late and to Andred’s delight, when he found his wife again she was sitting with Sholan surrounded by his older cousins just talking about life and the baby. Like a normal family. His hearts soared, things were going to be fine. They stayed at Redlooms that night and as they fell asleep, Leela in his arms and Sholan in his travel crib, gifted by Romana, Andred thought them the picture of contentment. 

End 

  
  



End file.
